Automatic drainage apparatus



Aug. 23, 1938.

E. E. HEWITT 2,128,206

AUTOMATIC DRAINAGE APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 1937 I o I I I I I I I I p I 1 l I I INVENTOR BY%M ATTORNEY ELLIS E. HEWITT Patented Aug.- 23, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC DRAINAGE APPARATUS Application February 27, 1937, Serial No. 128,087

13 Claims.

This invention relates to steam and other fluid pressure systems and more particularly to drain valve mechanisms for use in such systems for automatically draining fluid pressure pipes, chambers or reservoirs thereoi of condensate, such for instance as water, oil or both water and oil which accumulates therein.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved automatic drain valve mechanism of the above character.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical elevational view illustrating the drain valve mechanism in connection with the compressor of a steam actuated fluid compressor system of a locomotive; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged diagrammatical sectional view of the mechanism and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary diagrammatic elevational view illustrating the drain valve mechanism in connection with a storage reser voir of the compressor system.

According to the invention and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing the drain valve device of the mechanism. may be applied to a steam driven fluid compressor and is operative to provide for the discharge of the condensate accumulated in the steam chamber thereof when the steam supply is cut off, but the invention is not to'be limited to such application for, as shown in Fig. 3, the drain valve device may be employed in connection with an air storage reservoir such for instance as the main reservoir of the 'fluid pressure brake equipment of alocomotive or may be employed in connection with any other reservoir chamber or pipe where the condensate of steam or air may be found to accumulate.

As shown in the drawing the reference character I indicates a steam boiler, 2 a steam driven fluid compressor, 3 a storage reservoir in which fluid under pressure delivered by the compressor is stored, 4 a compressor governor device, 5 a drain valve device, 6 a control valve device for controlling the operation of the drain valve device, and l a steam cut-off valve device which is manually operative to cut off the supply of steam to the compressor. I

The fluid compressor 2 may be of the type usually employed on locomotives and may comprise a steam driving portion 8 and -a fluid compressing portion 9 which is driven by the portion 8. The portion 8 comprises a casing having a steam chamber In at one side of a reciprocal piston H which is adapted to actuate the usual fluid compressing piston (not shown) contained in the casing of the portion 8. I The compressor governor 4 may be of the usual well known type having a cut-off valve portion l 2 for automatically controlling the supply of steam to the compressor andhaving the usual governor portion l3 which is responsive to the storage reservoir pressure to control the operation of the cut-oil. valve portion.

In conditioning the locomotive for service, the valve device I is opened, so that steam for the boiler I flows through a pipe M to the compressor governor 4, and if the cut-oif valve of the governor is open the steam flowsthrough a pipe l5 to the steam driving portion 8 and causes such driving portion to function to actuate the com pressor portion 9 to supply fluid under pressure through a pipe iii to the storage reservoir 3.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the drain valve device may comprise a casing which has screw threaded connection with the cylinder casing of the steam driving portion 8 of the compressor and which is provided with a valve chamber H which is connected through a conduit l8 to the steam chamber I 0 of the compressor.

Contained in the valve chamber I! is a condensate discharge valve I9 which is operative to control a communication from the chamber I l to a chamber which is connected to a discharge pipe 2! open to the atmosphere. Also contained in the chamber i1 is a spring 22 which is adapted to normally maintain the valve l9 seated.

The valve I9 is provided with a stem 23 which is slidably guided by the casing and which for a portion of its length is fluted as indicated at 24.

Slidably mounted in the casing of the drain valve device is a piston 25 which is adapted to operatively engage,the lower end of, the valve stem 23 and which, through the medium of the stem, is adapted to control the operation of the valve It] as will hereinafter more fully appear.

At one side of the piston 25 is a chamber 28 which is connected through a pipe 21 to the control valve device 6.

The control valve device 6 comprises a casing in which is mounted a flexible diaphragm 28 having at one side a chamber 29 which, intermediate the cut-ofl valve device I and the compressor governor 4, is connected through a branch pipe 30 to the steam pipe I. At the other side of the diaphragm is a chamber 34 which is connected to the atmosphere through a passage 32. Contained in the chamber 3| is a follower 33 which is in operative engagement with the diaphragm. Interposed between and engaging the back face of the follower and the casing is a spring 34 which, at all times, tends to flex the diaphragm to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2. The follower 33 is provided with a .chamber 31 and which, at one time is adapted to engage an annular seat rib 30 carried by the casing and which at another time is adaptedto engage an. annular seat rib 33 also carried by the casing but located above the seat rib 32. Also contained in the chamber 31 is a spring 4., which, at all times, tends to urge the valve 33 toward the lower seat rib 34. When the valve 30 is out of engagement with the lower seat rib I! the chamber 31 is connected through a passage 4| to the chamber 3! and thereby to the atmosphere.

The chamber '31 is constantly connectedto the pipe 21 which leads from the piston chamber 28 of the drain valve device. This chamber 31 is adaptedto be connected to a pipe 42 leading to the governor portion ll of the compressor governor device 4, which pipe 42 is connected through a pipe 43 to'the pipe I leading from the compressor to the storage reservoir 3.

With the locomotive in condition for service the engineman will have opened the valve device 1 and thereby admitted steam pressure to the steam pipe l4 and consequently to the diaphragm chamber 29 of the control valve device 6. The steam pressure in chamber 29 acting on the diaphragm 28 causes the diaphragm to flex up Wardly thereby actuating the follower 33 to shift the valve 36 into engagement with the upper seat rib 39, the follower compressing the spring 34 and the valve 36 compressing the spring 40.

The valve 36, when thus seated, cuts oil? communication from the pipe 21 to the pipe .42 and at the same time establishes communication from the chamber 31 and consequently from the piston chamber 26 of the drain valve device to the atmosphere by way of passage 4|, diaphragm chamber 3| and passage 32. With the piston chamber 26 of the drain valve device thus connected to atmosphere the piston 25 will remain in its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 2 and the spring 22 will maintain the discharge valve I9 seated; thus there will be no communication from the steam chamber ID of the compressor to the atmosphere.

If the pressure of fluid in the storage reservoir 3 is low,- the steam cut-ofi valve 01 the compressor governor will be opened, 50 that steam pressure from the pipe i4 is admitted through pipe ii to the portion 8 of the compressor causing the compressor to function to supply fluid under pressure to the reservoir. If the storage reservoir pressure is at its predetermined maximum the cut-oil valve of the governor will be in its out ofi position so that the compressor will remain inactive until such time as the reservoir pressure is reduced a predetermined degree. It will here be understood that the compressor governor device 4 functions in the usual and well known manner to so control the supply of steam to the compressor as to maintain the storage reservoir pressure within a predetermined range of pressures. In other words, the governor device functions tocut the compressor into action when the storage reservoir pressure is reduced to a predetermined minimum and iunctions to cut the compressor out of action when the storage reservoir pressure is increased to a predetermined maximum.

Since the communication from the steam pipe ii to the diaphragm chamber 2! of the control valve device is located on the boiler side of the compressor governor 4 the operation of the gov-'- ernor will have no appreciable effect upon the pressure of steam in the chamber. The pressure of steam in chamber 23 acting on the diaphragm 22, is high and will maintain the valve 38 seated on the upper seat rib 38 against the opposing maximum storage reservoir pressure acting on the inner seated area of the valve. so that the operation of the governor device will have no effect upon the control valve device 6.

When the locomotive is taken out of service the steam supply to the compressor is cut oil and this is accomplished by operating the valve 1 to its cut off position. With the valve device 1 in its out off position the pressure in steam pipe i4 and consequently in the diaphragm chamber 23 of the control valve devicewill be reduced, so that fluid at main reservoir pressure acting on the inner seated area of the valve 3i will unseat the valve, and the spring will act to seat the valve on the lower seat rib 38 as shown in Fig. 2. Fluid at main reservoir pressure now flows through pipe 42, valve chamber 31 of the control valve device and pipe 21 to the piston chamber 26 of the drain valve device and.

causes the drain valve piston 25 to move upwardly from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, the piston in its traverse actuating the valve stem 23 and thereby the valve IE to its unseated position. With the valve in this position, the condensate of the steam which may have accumulated in the steam cylinder Ill of the compressor will flow through'passage it past the unseated valve i9 and the fluted portion 24 of the valve stem through chamber 20 and drain pipe 2!, thus the piston chamber I0 is freed of condensate. Condensate is adapted to flow from the steam chamber 44 at the upper side of the piston il through the usual leakage groove to the chamber in, sothat the chamber 44 will be maintained free of condensate.

Further, when the locomotive is taken out of service, it is customary to drain the main reservoir of fluid under pressure and when this is done the piston chamber 26 of the drain valve device will be reduced to atmospheric pressure so that the spring 22 will act to again seat the drain valve l9, thus when the locomotive is again conditioned for servicethe drain communication from the steam chamber ill to the atmosphere will be closed.

It will, however, be understood that in again conditioning the locomotive for service, the engineer operates the valve device 1 to permit steam to flow to the compressor at a slow rate so as to cause the compressor to operate slowly. This is done for the purpose of warming the-compressor and for ascertaining whether or not the compressor is in condition for operation. During this warming up period the pressure of steam in chamber 29 and acting on the diaphragm 28 will not be sufficient to overcome the opposing pressure of the spring 34 so that the diaphragm will remain in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, and consequently, the valve 3 will he in its lower seated position in which the pipe 42 is connected through valve chamber 31 to the pipe 21 leading to the piston chamber 2 of the drain valve device I. As the compressor is thus being operated. fluid compressed thereby flows through pipes ll, 43 and 42 to valve chamber 31 and from thence flows thr l -18h pipe 21 to the piston chamber 2i and causes the piston 23 to operate to unseat the drain valve il against the opposing 7 pressure of spring 22, so that any condensate which may have collected in the piston chamber during the time the locomotive has been out of service, will now be permitted to drain through drainage pipe 2|.

When the compressor has been warmed up the engineer operates the valve I to provide the normal supply of steam to the compressor and the resulting increase in steam pressure in chamber 20. causes the diaphragm 28 to operate to seat the valve 36 on the upper seat rib 39. With the valve in this position, fluid under pressure is vented from the piston chamber 26 of the drain valve device to the atmosphere by way of pipe 21, valve chamber 31, passage 4!, chamber 3| and passage 32, so that the spring 22 now acts to seat the vent valve l9, thus closing communication from the valve chamber i1 and consequently from the piston chamber iii of the compressor to the drainage pipe 2|. When a drain valve device 5 is used in conjunction with the reservoir 3, as shown in Fig. 3, it will be caused to function in the same manner; as just described to control the drainage communication from the reservoir.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that when the locomotive is in condition for service, the drain valve device cannot function to discharge the condensate from the steam chamber Ill and that when the locomotive is taken out of service and the valve device I is turned to its out out position the drain valve device is automatically operated to discharge the condensate, and further that during the period that the compressor is being warmed up the drain valve device functions to permit the discharge of condensate from the chamber I0 and/or from the reservoir 3.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the drain valve device arranged to vent the condensate which collects in the main reservoir. This drain valve device may be connected through a branch pipe 46 in parallel with the drain valve device carried by the compressor 2 and operates in identically the same manner as the latter valve device.

While I have shown the drain valve apparatus in connection with a steam driven fluid com- I pressor and amain reservoir it is to be understood that I contemplate its use in connection with any other chamber where moisture is liable to collect, and I further contemplate its use in connection with pipes or passages where liquid condensate accumulates.

While two illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit its scope to these embodiments or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with a fluid receiving chamber connected to a drainage communication through which condensate which may accumulate in the chamber may drain, valve means normally closing said communication and being operative to open the communication, automatically-operative means for controlling the operation of said valve means, said automatically operative means being subject to fluid under pressure normally supplied thereto for rendering said valve means ineffective to open said communi-* cation andbeing automatically operative,'when the supply of fluid under pressure thereto is cut ofi, to effect the operation of said valve means to open the communication, and means operative to cut oil the supply of fluid under pressure to said automatically operative means.

2. The combination with a fluid receiving chamber connected to a drainage communication through which condensate which may accumulate in the chamber may drain, valve means normally closing said communication and being operative by fluid under pressure to open the communication, fluid pressure responsive mechanism for controlling the operation of said valve means,

said mechanism being subject to fluid under pressure normally supplied thereto for rendering said valve means ineflective to open said communication and being automatically operative upon cutting oif the supply of fluid under pressure thereto for supplying fluid under pressure to eflect the operation of said valve means toopen said communication, and means for cutting oil the supply of fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure responsive mechanism. I

3. The combination with a fluid receiving chamber, of a normally closed valve operative for draining accumulated moisture from said chamber, fluid pressure responsive means for actuating said valve, and valve means for controlling the operation of said fluid pressure responsive means, said valve means being subject to fluid under pressure normally supplied thereto for rendering said fluid pressure responsive means ineffective to actuate said valve and automatically operable, when the fluid pressure supply thereto is cut off, to supply fluid under pressure to actuate said fluid pressure responsive means.

4. The combination with a fluid receiving chamber connected to a drainage communication through which accumulated liquid condensate is adapted to drain from said chamber, of valve means normally closing said communication, a source of fluidpressure, means for controlling the operation of said valve means, said means being normally subject to the pressure of fluid from said source for rendering said valve means ineiiective to open said communication and operative auto-,

matically, when the supply of fluid under pressure thereto is cut off, to effect the operationof said valve means to open said communication.

5. The combination with a fluid receiving chamber connected to a drainage communication through which accumulated liquid condensate is adapted to drain from said chamber, of valve means normally closing said communication and adapted to be operated by fluid under pressure to open saidcommunication, a source of fluid pressure, a reservoir normally charged with fluid under pressure, means for controlling the operation of said valve means, said means being normally subject to the pressure of fluid from said source for rendering said valve means ineffective to open said communication and operative automatically, when the supply of fluid under pressure thereto is cut oil, to supply fluid under pressure from said reservoir'to actuate said valve means, and means for cutting off the supply of fluid-under pressure from said source to said means.

6. The combination with a chamber connected to a drainage communication through which accumulated liquid condensate from steam or air is tion of said valve to open said communication,

to open said communication and operative automatically, when the supply of steam thereto is cut oil, for eflecting the operation 0! said valve means to open said communication, and means operative to cut of! the supply of steam to said means.

7; The combination with a chamber connected to a drainage communication through which accumulated liquid condensate from steam or air is adapted to drain from said chamber, oi a source of steam pressure, a valve normally closing said communication and operative to open said communication, means for, controlling the operation of said valve, said means being subject to the pressure of steam from said source for rendering said valve ineflective to open said communication and being automatically operative when the steam pressure thereto is cut of! for effecting the operaand means for cutting off the 'steam supply to said means.

8. The combination with a fluid receiving chamber connected to a drain communication through which accumulated liquid condensate is adapted to drain, of a valve device normally closing said communication and operative to open said communication, a steam driven mechanism. a conduit through which steam is admitted to said mechanism, means for controlling the operationoi said valve device, said means being subject to the pressure of steam in said conduit for normally rendering said valve device ineffective to open said communication and operative when the steam supply to said conduit is cut off for effecting the operation of said valve device to open said communication, and means operative to cut oil the supply oi steam to said conduit.

9. The combination with a fluid receiving chamber connected to a drain communication through which accumulated liquid condensate is adapted to drain, of a valve device normally closing said communication and operative to open said communication, a reservoir, a steam driven compressor for charging said reservoir with fluid under pressure, a conduit through which steam is adapted to be admitted .to said compressor, means having one position for admitting steam to said conduit and having another position for cutting off the supply of steam to the conduit, means for controlling the operation of said valve device, said means being operative by the pressure of steam from said conduit for rendering said valve device inetlective to open said communication and operative upon cutting of! the supply of steam to the conduit for supplying fluid under pressure from said reservoir to effect the operation of said valve device to open said communication.

10. The combination with a fluid receiving chamber, of a drain communication through which liquid condensate which may accumulate in said chamber is adapted to drain, a valve device normally closing said communication and operative upon an increase in the pressure of fluid in a pressure chamber thereof to open said communication, a reservoir, a steam driven compressor operative to charge said reservoir with fluid under pressure, a conduit throuah which steam is adapted to be admitted to said compressor, valve means operative to one position to admit steam to said conduit and operative to an other position .to cut oil. the supply of steam to said conduit, valve mechanism having one position tor Supplrlna fluid under pressure from said reservoir to said pressure chamber to eflect the operation of said valve device to open said communication and having another position for isolating the reservoir from said pressure chamber and for connecting the pressure chamber to the atmosphere to render said valve device ineffective to open said communication, and means for con trolling the operation of said valve device, said means being subject to the pressure of steam in 1 chamber, of a drain communication through which liquid condensate which may accumulate in said chamber is adapted to drain, a valve normally closing said communication and operative by fluid under pressure to open said communication, a reservoir, a steam driven compressor for charging said reservoir with fluid under pressure, a conduit through which steam is adapted to be admitted to said compressor, a governor device operative according to variations in the pressure of fluid in said reservoir for controlling the supply of steam to said compressor, a valve device operative to one position to supply steam to said conduit and operative to another position to cut oil the supply of steam to said conduit, valve means for controlling the operation of said valve, said valve means being connected to said conduit intermediate said governor device and valve dein the absence of steam pressure in said conduit for supplying fluid under pressure from said reservoir-to eflect the operation of said valve to open said communication.

12. The combination with a fluid receiving chamber, of a drain communication through which liquid condensate which may accumulate in said chamber is adapted to drain, a reservoir,

a steam driven compressor for charging said reservoir with fluid under pressure, a conduit through which steam isadapted to be admitted to said compressor, and valve means subject to the pressure of steam in said conduit for maintaining said communication closed and operative in the absence of steam pressure in said conduit for opening said communication, and a valve device operative to cut oil the supply of steam to said conduit.

13. The combination with a fluid receiving chamber, of a drain communication through which liquid condensate which may accumulate in said chamber is adapted to drain, a reservoir, I

a steam driven compressor for charging said reservoir with fluid under pressure, a conduit through which steam, is adapted to be admitted to said compressor, a valve normally closing said communication, means operative by fluid under pressure for actuating said valve to open said communication, valve means for controlling the operation of said means, said valve means being subject to the pressure of steam in said conduit for rendering said means ineffective to operate said'valve and operative in the absence of steam pressure in said conduit iqrsupplying fluid under pressure from said reservoirto eflectthe operation or said means to actuate said valve to open said communication.

, arms I. HEWI'I'I. 

